Nið
by EchoSerenade
Summary: "WHY HAVE YOU BROUGHT ME HERE!" I screamed. From the hoarse voice, I couldn't recognise myself. It had become slightly deeper. I was older. I felt older – much older. ... Tears continued to stream down my eyes until I had no more to shed. I relived every word he had spoken to me. I needed to hear him again. (Loki/OC) One-Shot


_**Disclaimer:**_ _I do not own anything from the Avengers or Thor. I do, however, really wished that I could meet Loki in real life._

 _ **Dedication**_ _: NameWithNoMeaning. Thank you for finally making me decide to go through with this because I've always wanted to write a Loki story, but haven't had the confidence to do so. I hope I haven't disappointed you._

 _ **Rated: M**_

 **Nið**

I was on a mission. My employer had wanted several tasks done, none of which I should've undertaken, but I was having some bad weeks lately. What better way to ice the cake than to try to assassinate the infamous Tony Stark? This was nothing personal against the billionaire, self-proclaimed philanthropist, it was strictly a business tactic. My employer wanted to upset the stocks a little. I had no reason to say no. He was paying me a hefty amount upfront and triple that if I managed to get rid of Stark.

A few favours were pulled and I managed to gather a consensus that Stark was going to be in Stuttgart, Germany. Why? I didn't know. Who really knew what went on in that egomaniac's head?

Instead of taking a commercial plane there, I went for my private jet. It was a great perk from high paying contracts. As I was miles in the air, I played around with the equipment. I knew that I was going to need everything in my arsenal to defeat Iron Man. I figured that I was either going to die or get put into high security prison for this, so I was surprised when I found the money already deposited in my bank account.

"We'll be landing soon, Miss Salazar."

I nodded my thanks to Jasper.

When the plane touched down, I quickly checked the news. There had to be a reason why Iron Man would come here. Unfortunately, there was nothing that particularly stood out. The only thing interesting tonight was a ball for the rich. Shouldn't be too difficult trying to get it.

"Artemis Canton," I told the hotel receptionist. He gave me a quick look at my attire before smiling. I knew what he wanted and it disgusted me. If I had come in wearing a simple blouse and jeans, I was sure he would've called security.

"Of course, Miss Canton. If you could just fill out this form."

Quickly scanning the sheet, I gave the bottom line a simple scribble.

"Thank you. Here are your keys. I hope you'll enjoy your stay with us." He shot me a charming – expectant – smile.

I reached into my purse and retrieved the first note I found and slid it across the counter. His eyes immediately lit up before he called for a bell boy. "Help this lady with her luggage." He told him the room number and shooed the young man off.

When we arrived at the elevator, it was already opened for us. I stood facing the door as I watched the bellboy with the corner of my eyes. He was struggling with the black tote bag. It must've been killing him to keep quiet. From the curious stares he gave the luggage, I knew he wanted to ask me what was in it.

The elevator opened to the top floor and I strolled in. There were only two suites here. I had all the privacy that I Needed. "You may just leave it here." I gestured to the front of the closed door, but he fervently shook his head with wide eyes.

"No, ma'am. I can help you bring it inside."

I closed my eyes and sighed. "I know you can, but please, just put it down there and I will handle it." I took out a small stack of notes and extended it to him.

He looked at the notes, at my face, back at the notes before slowly placing down my bags. I had the urge to pat his head and tell him that he was a good boy. "Have a good night…" I glanced at his name tag. "Luca."

He flushed. "G-good night, ma'am." He scurried off and rapidly pushed the elevator button. Cute.

I swiped my hotel card before bending down for the two bags. The suite was spacious and beautiful. Too bad I didn't have time to enjoy any of it.

As soon as the bags were inside, I made my way to the shower. Tony Stark was a known womaniser, but everyone knew that Pepper Potts had a special place in his heart. I'll just have to change that, at least long enough to rid him of that organ.

I smiled. It would be very satisfying to be the downfall of the great Iron Man. He would never expect it.

When I got out, I twisted my hair up and rifled through my white luggage for the formal dress that I had packed. It was a long and sleek silvery dress that shimmered beneath the low glow of the hotel light. I ran my hand down the soft fabric as I turned in front of the mirror. Perfect.

The shade of the dress complimented my grey orbs and platinum blonde hair.

Without pulling down the twist, I blew my hair dry before tugging off the hair tie. The loose curls tumbled down my shoulders. Quick and efficient.

I completed the look with dark smoky eyes and deep red lips.

Stark didn't need to fall for me. I just needed to catch him off guard.

I slipped a thin dagger into the holster strapped to my upper thigh and tucked a small bottle of fast acting poison into my cleavage.

I was ready.

The reception clerk was kind enough to hail me a taxi and I indulged him with another note. The ride there was full of idle chatter. The driver was very curious about the large bejewelled bag, but I only smiled coyly at him.

He chuckled back and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. I turned my head to try to hide the disgust on my face. What a despicable man. It's people like him that make my job so easy.

"Here we are, little miss."

I tossed the money on to the passenger seat to avoid touching him.

Once out, I was greeted by the grand building, crowded with people. They were bustling about without a care in the world, but where was the billionaire?

Strolling straight for the front door, I received quite a few glances.

"Your name, miss?"

"Artemis Canton," I told him, knowing full well that my name wouldn't be on the guest list.

He searched for several minutes before shaking his head. "I'm sorry. No – "

"Look again. My name is on there," I whispered. He looked as if he was about to protest, but I continued. "On the second page, seventh name from the top. Artemis Canton." His eyes glazed over and his movement became almost mechanical. He flipped to the second page and systematically counted down the names.

"Yes, there it is. I apologise, Miss Canton. Please, if you could just take your bags to the security check.

I walked away as the check in clerk slowly snapped out of the grogginess with only a vague memory of what happened.

"Bags on the counter, miss," the uniformed man told me when I sauntered up to him. I knew the bag would never pass security, but I placed the clutch down. "The other one as well."

"You've already checked it," I said as he looked at me.

He blinked a few times before looking back at the bags. "I did. You're free to pass. Have a good evening."

I smiled at him. "Thank you. You, as well."

The ballroom was already littered with people. I looked at every single one, but couldn't find my target. Feeling annoyed that he was probably going to be late, I decided to meet him half way. It was probably easier for me to get him from the roof anyhow.

Going upstairs, I found a maintenance worker who helped me open the door to the roof. I waved him away as soon as I was comfortable situated there. The sniper rifle was out of the bag, but still in its case.

I sighed as the cool breeze ruffled my hair and began to ruin my mood. _It was cold_.

I sat there for ten minutes before walking back down. It'll be dealt with later. If I hate to, I'll get him when he leaves.

Stretching out each limb, I began to re-enter the ball room when someone on the other side of the balcony caught my eyes. They locked with his deep green orbs as we met atop of the stairs.

"My lady." His velvet voice sent shivers down my spine. This should've been the first warning. "May I have this dance?" The twinkle in those green orbs enamoured me and I foolishly placed my hand into his extended one.

We glided down the steps and the moment we reached the dance floor, our bodies seemed to meld together. The waltz was but a secondary thought in my mind as the steps came naturally. I couldn't' stop thinking about the way he smelled. It was refreshing – nothing I had ever encountered before. Was it a cologne or was this a natural fragrance?

"And may I have the name of the maiden who had so graciously accepted my offer?" The way his words caressed me was dangerous. Someone like me should know how powerful they could be.

"Perhaps if the kind gentleman would inform this maiden his name first," I teased back.

A wide grin spread across his lips. "I am Loki of Asgard."

Asgard. I could hear those warning bells going on overdrive. Where had I heard that name before? It sounded Scandinavian.

"Well, Loki of Asgard, I am Selene." I saw no danger in him merely knowing my first name.

"Selene," my name rolled off his tongue. "A beautiful name. You are as beautiful and as mysterious as the moon."

The moon… What an interesting thing to say. The moon was both beautiful and ugly at the same time. It was just very good at hiding how repulsive it is when no one was watching.

The way he looked at me, however, made me wonder what he would think if he knew who I truly was. Would he run away in horror?

"Something on your mind?" The low rumble of his voice sent shivers down my spine. "Is there anything I can do to keep your attention?"

I wanted to tell him that nothing he could do now would make me any more enamoured with him. This was bordering insanity. I had never felt this way about anyone before. Love at first sight didn't exist, so what was wrong with me?

Had he done something to make me this way? I wouldn't be surprised. The sinking feeling suddenly replaced the serenity. I was well aware what the power of words could do. What if he was able to do something similar? If he was manipulating me to feel this way about him… Why? Unless he knew who I was and what I was here to do. Could he be working for Stark?

I knew he was a clever man. It would not surprise me if he sent some sort of scout to foreign countries before visiting. If that was the case, then I applaud him. Stark sure knew how to choose them.

"With a face like that, you think there is anything you should worry about?" I raised a pale eyebrow in challenge. I needed a way to find out what his intentions were. "From your accent, you're not from around here. Business or pleasure?"

He weaved me past a couple. "Strictly business until I met you."

I swallowed hard. He was definitely dangerous, but I couldn't dwell on that. "What kind of business?" I coyly asked, looking up at him from beneath my eyelashes.

A gleam filled his eyes and he gave me a mischievous smile. "You shall have to wait and see, my lady."

The secrecy didn't calm my nerves one bit. There was something suspicious about him, but his blindingly charming persona made it difficult for me to read him properly. I was not used to this feeling. Perhaps a bit of persuasion would loosen him up?

"Why don't you give me a little hint? Who would I possibly tell?"

As he thought about it, I knew my words were slowly taking an effect on him, or so I had hoped. Instead, eh threw his head back and laughed. The sound sent shivers of delight downward. "I apologise, but this is one secret that is best revealed at the appropriate time for… maximum effect."

Loki twirled me in his arms before dipping me so low that my hair swept the polished floor. He leaned over me, his cool breath brushed my ears. "It was an absolutely pleasure, but I must prepare for the surprise. I hope you'll be here to… experience it." He left a kiss on the back of my hand. "Good night, my lady."

I tilted my head as I watched him retreat back upstairs. I had half a mind to follow him, but decided against it. There was still work to be done.

Brushing off the next invitation to dance, I gave the room a quick scan. Still no Tony Stark. Where was he? I didn't want to spend the entire night here if he wasn't even going to show up, especially since Loki's already left and my patience have worn thing. Were my sources wrong? If I found out that they had lied to me… I clenched my jaws before twirling on my heels and decided that sitting in the cold would probably be a better idea at this point.

What had gotten into me that past hour, I had no idea. I needed to clear my head of Loki of Asgard. That man must've broken hundreds of hearts. If it had been any other time, I would've loved to spend more time knowing him, uncovering all his secrets.

I didn't know what to think about his invitation. Could I have been wrong? Was he some kind of performer? I contemplated the aspect of staying to watch, but thought better of it. I had already dallied on this for far too long.

Tony Stark was still priority. If Loki had nothing to do with the billionaire, then it would be waste of time remaining here.

I assembled the sniper rifle and fiddled with it in my lap. Whenever I looked down the edge, I could almost spot the green-eyed man every time. It was going to become a problem.

I closed my eyes and sighed. This was going to be a long, long night. "Jasper, where is he at the moment?"

There was silent for a moment before the reply came, "Just an hour ago, he had gotten on an aircraft."

An hour ago…

I resisted the urge to toss everything over the edge in anger. Maybe that would cause enough chaos to make my day better.

"Get Nathaniel over to Russell's house. I want him gone," I growled.

"Of course, Miss Salazar." Despite his answer, I knew that he wasn't going to do it. He was my filter for bad decisions. Russell was a source that I didn't want to lose, but he needed to tell time better.

For another two hours, I was left fuming to myself.

Suddenly, I heard a voice emerge from the front. I peeked down and saw his authoritative figure cause an uproar. There were people running out in a frenzy while others were paused, watching and recording with their phones. Fools. They would die recording their own deaths one day.

Loki had strolled out with a gold staff that glowed a bright blue. It reflected brightly in his eyes and seemed to make them the same colour. Instead of the long, black trench coat, he had on a flowing green cape and the most ridiculous horned helmet. Golden armour lined his arms and shoulders. I watched with increased interest as his transformation seemed to snap most of them out of their stupour and they all resumed their running and screaming.

Before any of them could escape, however, he crossed the road and materialised in front of them. When they tried to turn around, another Loki appeared.

My amazement drove me to continue watching. More than one Loki? That'd make a very fun day. I smirked at the thought.

"Kneel before me," he commanded. There was increased confusion washing over the crowd, but many of them were still frantically looking for a way out as the other Loki herded them into a tight space. "I said… _KNEEL_!" he roared.

One by one, they fell to their knees in fear.

Who was this Loki? He had powers that I had never seen before. A foreign king wishing to rule Earth? That wouldn't be the first time, but why here? What was so important about Stuttgart, Germany?

"Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state? It's the unspoken truth of humanity that you crave subjugation." His eyes swept across each face and my eyebrow rose in skepticism. "The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power – for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel."

It just had to happen. The only man that I've found remotely interesting was a raving lunatic. Maybe I should've known. His words were too smooth. He had been too charming. NO one sane would ever be like that. Perfection was an illusion to hide the inner madness.

An older gentleman rose to his feet in defiance. "NO to men like you."

The grin that was so attractive before looked crazed. Loki turned to him. "There are no men like me."

"There are always men like you." I wondered if his life was flashing before his eyes at this very moment. Surely, he – an old, helpless man – knew that trying to stand up to someone of Loki's caliber was a fool's errand.

Narrowing his eyes, Loki stepped forward and a beam of blue light shot from the staff. Before it could hit the outspoken German, a flash of blue and red landed with a thud. The shield rebounded the attack back to Loki who bent over from the impact.

Captain America.

That obnoxiously patriotic man could be recognised anywhere.

As they continued to fight, I grew impatient. This was not what I signed up for. Watching for another few minutes as the two exchanged blows, I finally had enough. This was a completely waste of time. I stood up just as he appeared. The red and gold robotic shell shot through the sky towards Loki who had been caught unaware. His back slammed painfully against the pavement before his armour disappeared and he held his hands up in surrender.

Skepticism immediately hit me. Someone like him would never give up so easily, so what was he playing at?

Tearing my eyes away from him, I focused back on my target. His helmet was still on. I doubt any bullet would be able to pierce through that thing. I took a deep breath and counted down to keep myself steady.

 _One… Two… Three… Four… Five… Six… Seven… Eight… Nine…_

I let out the breath I was holding and watched the bullet sail through the air just as he shifted his mask away. Without waiting to see whether it hit its target or not, I was already packed. I only had one shot and that was it.

The black flying ship hovering above the city square was already searching for me.

I walked across the roof and stepped off. My feet landed heavily against the pavement. Jasper was parked around the corner with the door opened for me.

After slipping in, I let out a sigh of frustration. "It failed. The rest of the Avengers were there. Get me an appointment with Stark. We'll have business dinner, instead."

"As you wish, Miss Salazar."

…

My next stop was New York. Jasper had already called and spoken with the CEO. Dinner in two nights' time. There was much to prepare.

As it was, I kept a tail on Stark. Sometimes, Nathaniel would be the one to do it; other times, I had my rifle on the rooftop across the establishments he'd frequent. He was smart to never choose the window seats. How many assassination attempts had he faced over his life time to learn this?

"I'll be one call away, Miss."

I glanced at Jasper who was standing behind me to the left. Draped over his arm was my red coat. I knew he was worried. I had never taken on something this big before. It was a topic that came up a lot and each time, I had turned it down – all except this time. It was pure impulse as I had been feeling particularly foul the entire week. Now, my pride was on the line.

"I know. Don't worry about me."

He didn't reply.

I darned on the coat as if it was my battle armour and entered the sleek, black Lincoln.

"Seatbelt, Miss."

I glared at him, but pulled the restricting strap across me.

When I arrived at the restaurant, I wasn't' surprised to see that Stark still hasn't arrived. As long as he didn't stand me up, I'd be fine.

I looked around to see that the tables were almost fully booked. The corner should be enough privacy, though. I began to tap on my knee as time passed – half an hour, an hour…

I noticed several other guests giving me sympathetic looks. The waiter even left the bottle of wine on the table. I had polished off half of it before the irritation nearly took over as I almost threw the bottle at my dinner date who finally had the decency to show his face.

"Well, if I'd known I was keeping such a gorgeous woman waiting, I would've made more of an effort to get here on time." He smugly sat down without bothering to shake hands.

"Of course." I forced a smile on my face. "Artemis Canton."

He chuckled. "Tony Stark, but you already knew that."

Spotting that my partner had finally arrived, the waiter came back to ask for the others. I had already decided an hour ago, while he ordered at the top of his head. He either frequented here often or he was confident everything was going to bend over backwards for him.

There was no talk of business as we waited for our food to arrive. Instead, he was interested with what I did. "I'm a business woman, but I spend most of my time travelling. I believe it enriches the soul. And you, Mr. Stark? What do you do when you're not busy managing your vast business?"

He wrinkled his nose. "None of that Mr. Stark. It's strictly Tony." He stretched. "And you know – this and that. Maybe saving the world while I'm at it." He casually flourished a few of his tales before the waiter came back.

I nodded idly to his stories before pushing the chair back. "If you could excuse me. I need to…"

He nodded, understanding that I had to visit the washrooms.

As I walked by, I smiled at the waiter who smiled back at me. I did my business and walked back to the table. From the corner of my eye, I saw them. Her flowing red hair stood out in the dim, candle lighting. I could only surmise that the pale man across from her was another Avenger. Perhaps the Captain without his mask and usual patterns?

"Now, you want to talk business?" he asked after we finished our meals.

"Perhaps we could go somewhere a little more private?" I smiled.

He raised a dark eyebrow at me. "You have a pretty face, but don't you think it's too early to get a hotel room?"

My smile widened. "Your car would suffice," I replied, leaning over just enough to give him an eyeful of my cleavage.

He swallowed hard. "In the car for business. Just business."

"Of course."

He quickly waved the server over, paid the bill, and led me to his beautiful Audi R8.

I slid in and waited for him to do the same in the driver's seat. My body rotated towards him and I smiled. "Well, Tony, let's talk business."

"Now, you're talking." Whether he thought I actually had a business venture for him or that we were going to get naughty, I didn't know. It didn't matter.

"Indeed." I placed my hand on his cheek.

Playfulness sparkled in his eyes, but there was also doubt. I leaned in just a little closer before I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Wait. We shouldn't. There's someone waiting for me – "

My eyes narrowed. "Don't worry. That's the last thing you should be concerned about. I have no intentions to get intimate with you."

A vibration in my clutch signified that the poison should be taking effect now. His face paled and he grimaced. First, it was confusion, then pain, and finally, realisation. "Why…?"

"Don't take this personally, Tony. I said this was about business and it is," I told him, watching as he slowly tried to reach for something in his pocket. The paralysis wouldn't allow him to finish that task. "I'm sure Ms. Potts will handle Stark Industries perfectly fine without you."

He clenched his eyes shut in pain.

"Goodbye, Mr. Stark." As I made to get out of the car, he stopped me one last time.

"Wait… Since I'm going to die…" he grunted. "Who wants me dead?"

I shook my head secretively at him. "Sorry. That's confidential information, even to a dead man." I left a parting whisper in his ears.

With that, I left him to the comfort of his luxurious car. I was half way in the Lincoln when I spotted the Black Widow and the Captain coming out of the restaurant. "Tell him, it's done."

"Of course, Miss Salazar."

I relaxed into the leather seat. It ended up being much simpler than I thought. He was no better than the rest of them. A pretty face and all caution was thrown aside.

"We have a tail."

Without looking back, I already knew who they were. "Lose them."

The modified car weaved through traffic with ease. After snaking around the city several times, we lost them. Good, before the night is over, we'd be gone.

"Well done, Jasper."

…

In an hour, I was on the jet to London and a breath of relief escaped me. I had done it and I was still alive. With that contract coming to an end, I was already feeling a lot better. Perhaps a vacation would do me some good.

How long were the rest of the Avengers going to look for me, I wondered. They didn't seem like people who would give up easily.

"The funds have been transferred." I looked up at Jasper who had just gotten off the call with my employer. "I've checked all the numbers. Not a cent is missing." I thought he would've wanted more proof of Stark's death.

"Thank you." I nodded at him.

Jasper was the only one I truly trusted. He had been with me for a very long time and not once had he failed me. When I was in trouble, he'd be there to get me out of it. Now, there hasn't been any instance where I do get myself in a pinch because he was always part of the plan.

"Get some sleep," I urged him as my own eyes closed. It had been a long night and there was still quite some time before we land.

As my mind began to drift, an image of deep green eyes assaulted me. Even with the crazed glint, he was disarmingly attractive. Loki of Asgard was someone I wanted to see again.

The way he surrendered so quickly still tugged at me. There had to be ulterior motives. Someone like him who craved power would never conceded it so easily, so why?

Why was he even in Stuttgart? He accomplished nothing there, as far as I could tell. All he had done was have the Avengers after him.

I paused.

Iron Man, Captain America, and the Black Widow. Not a lot of the team left behind. Could he be some kind of distraction? If so, was he a distraction for someone more powerful?

Before I knew it, Jasper was shaking me out of my thoughts. "We've arrived."

I stretched out my limbs and pushed him out of my mind. If I knew what was best for me, I'd stay away from him.

By the time I arrived home, it was all over television. The news of Tony Stark's misfortune travelled fast. Mission accomplish. Who knew that contract would turn out so well? Just a few hours ago, I still thought that I wasn't going to make it out of this alive.

"Well done, Miss. More tea?"

I fully intended to take a vacation, now. Everything was already planned and booked. I even packed a suitcase for the occasion, but as expected, something came up. Or rather, it burst through the doors.

Bright blue eyes stared emotionlessly at me. I had been waiting for this. I just never expected them to find me so quickly. Why did the taste of victory have to be so short?

"Agent Hawkeye," I greeted him as I stood. If he was here, then the rest must've been close behind, or surrounding the premise. "What do I owe the pleasure?"

Before he could reply, I fired at him. He dodged them as if they were fluffy pillows. This was why I never touched any of the Avengers. They were hardly human.

Crouched atop of the fireplace mantel, he shot an arrow at me. I sidestepped it, wrinkling my nose at the sound of it ripping through my couch.

I watched him, wondering how long this was going to drag on and how damaged my house was going to be.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Jasper standing by the doorway. Most of his body was shrouded by the darkness of the hall. "Stay back," I ordered, facing Hawkeye, but I knew my words were affecting Jasper.

The archer, however, charged at me as if I hadn't said anything at all. The lack of effect piqued my annoyance. This rarely happened, but both he and Loki were able to defy me. Not even Stark was able to do that.

As I was lost in thought, I didn't notice a second person sneak up behind me and a sharp pain pierced my neck before I fell to the floor, cursing myself as my vision went black.

…

 _"Get back here!" I stared at my nightmare and felt as if I was a young child, again. Perhaps that was exactly what I was. "Didn't you hear me? Get your fuckin' ass here!"_

 _I shuffled my feet to the man who was sitting in front of the television. The stench of alcohol burned my nose and eyes. He gave me a brief, disgusted glance before throwing his empty bottle at me. I ducked down. Small drips of beer sprinkled on to my cheeks._

 _"Where's the beer I told you to get?"_

 _I continued to stare as he nearly foamed at the mouth with rage. His face was turning purple. I wished that he had imploded that day. Instead, I remembered every lashing that I received. His old, leather belt left red welts and lesions all over my nine year old body._

 _"Little bitch… Good for nothing freeloader…" he grumbled when he was done and plopped himself back on to the raggedy armchair. "Should've gone with your whore of a mother. Lose a bitch and you gain one back… Where's the justice?"_

 _I continued to stare at him as I laid motionless on the smelly carpet. I never knew her. The only person who had spoken of her was him and nothing good ever came out of his mouth. Perhaps if he had introduced me to relatives I could've known her better. All I had was a ripped photo I had found in a forgotten room._

 _Sometimes, I'd try to compare our faces. Did we look alike? Were these really my parents? Father had looked so much happier then – before I was born. Was this all my fault?_

 _My eyes began to flutter close. I was so tired. I tugged weakly at the broken bottle. The blood made everything so slippery. "Mama…" Turning my head, I thought I had caught a glimpse of a beautiful blonde woman, but I couldn't be sure. When did my eyes close?_

 _"Ssh… It's okay…" the gentle voice washed over me. "You're safe, now. No one will ever be able to hurt you, again."_

 _At least… that's what I thought before excruciating pain began to rip me apart. It was as if someone was disassembling me to my most basic parts until only my consciousness was left. Just as I became accustomed to the weightlessness, they reassembled me, but it was_ _wrong_ _. They put me back_ _wrong_ _._

 _My eyes snapped open and I saw nothing but darkness. There were no kind, deceiving voices anymore. I was alone. I was alone in nothingness. Perhaps I had become nothingness._

 _From there, I had no concept of time. I was left alone with only my thoughts and the nine years of torture to comfort me. I was in limbo. Had I died that night? Was that what happened? Where was mother? Why wasn't she with me?_

 _I touched the hollows of my cheeks to make sure that I was still there. The bones of my face had become more prominent. Some time must've past. I had aged, but by how much?_

 _You must atone for your sins._

 _That voice! It sounded vaguely familiar. Had I heard it in a dream? No, that wasn't it. This was the person who put me here._

 _"WHY HAVE YOU BROUGHT ME HERE?!" I screamed. From the hoarse voice, I couldn't recognise myself. It had become slightly deeper. I was older. I felt older – much older._

 _No on replied. It was as if I had imagined the whole thing. It was known to happen. The voices would become more and more realistic the longer I remained here. Sometimes, I thought they were truly real; Sometimes, I was able to disassociate myself from them. Sometimes… Those days have become few and far between. With only the darkness as company and my memories faded, I tried to grasp on to anyone I could just to remind myself that I still exist. Or at least… I'd like to believe that I still exist. I had physical form, but was that only another figment of my imagination?_

 _"I don't want to be here, anymore…" my whisper echoed in my head and nowhere else. There was no one else. There never have been. Only me. And soon, even I had faded into nothing for I could no longer recall anything that was me. I didn't know if the monster of a man was real or if I had conjured it up as some form of self-torture. I reasoned that I was here because I had done something wrong. I just couldn't remember what it was._

 _For what seemed like an eternity of darkness, a small light caught my eye. It was dim and almost unnoticeable at first. I thought my mind was playing trick on me again, but the light didn't go away. It slowly shifted as if it was gliding across the nothing like a sheet of silk. It was then that I came to the conclusion that I had finally passed on._

 _My eyes saw something for the first time. They hurt and stung, but as they became accustomed to the light, I saw a floating land mass in a sky of stars. The darkness between us was illuminated by the blinding gold of the grand civilisation. The architecture could be clearly seen even from the distance._

 _I looked around me to find that I was on land of my own. It was barren and held no distinct features. I could, however, see the darkness that enveloped me shift away. My eyes closed before I got to my knees and tried to stand. They shook from the idleness. The limbs felt too long. Every movement was awkward._

 _I had fallen many times, but eventually, I regained the ability to walk. I walked and walked and realised that there truly wasn't anything around me. For miles and miles, there was only empty land. IN the end, I resumed my spot to watch the light._

 _There wasn't a lot of details that I could see, but every once in a while, a building would fall and another took its place. I didn't know how long I watched them. When a shadow begin to creep towards me, I felt panic set in. No, it was too soon!_

 _I got up and tried to outrun the darkness, but no matter how long or how far I went, it was useless._

 _I collapsed on to the ground, sobbing as I was robbed of the only thing I could cling on to._

 _"_ _I hate them. Why can't they look me like everyone else?"_

 _My ears twitched at the new voice. This one was different – smooth and soothing. I turned to my side and closed my eyes._

 _"Father… why can't you look at me like that? Haven't I done you proud?"_

 _The pain in his voice hurt. I held on to his every word like a life line. I lived through his words, but they were usually so full of sadness – so full of anger._

 _"Don't cry…" I tried to tell him, but I knew that my words would go nowhere._

 _I'm different. I know that! But can't they acknowledge me for what I CAN do?!"_ _His sobs broke my heart._ _"Isn't there anyone who can help me? Isn't there anyone who would listen…?"_

 _"_ _I'm a monster… I'm a monster…"_

 _That was the last I heard from him for a long time. I feared that he had perished and wept for him. He deserved to feel happiness. I wanted to tell him that I was there. I had been listening the entire time._

 _Tears continued to stream down my eyes until I had no more to shed. I relived every word he had spoken to me. I needed to hear him again._

 _"_ _I had done it for you! For all of us!"_

 _I was jolted out of my reverie when his voice pierced through me._

 _It's time._

 _I was suddenly flung into nothing._

…

My eyes snapped open. The room was dark and unfamiliar. Is at up to find him staring out the window. The moonlight illuminated half of him, leaving the other in completely darkness. He was dressed in the same outfit as he did when he tried to take over Stuttgart Square. Missing was the helmet, armour, and cape.

He was as beautiful as I remembered, but I saw firsthand what he was capable of. The madness that filled his eyes and voice rang in my mind.

I laid my head back on to the fluffy pillow. "Why have you brought me here?"

He turned to look at me. I didn't see any of the insanity, now. "Aren't you happy to see me, Selene?" He smiled. Wariness pulled his face tight. "I didn't see you there when I revealed my surprise."

"I apologise." What game was he playing, now?

He walked towards me. The entirety of his face was now shrouded in shadows. "I would've loved to see you kneel before me." His voice sent shivers down my spine. "But I enjoyed watching them panic, nonetheless, when you shot at the Man of Iron." His smile curled into a smirk. "Should I congratulate you on a job well done? I assume you were the one who finally brought him down."

I sat back up in surprise. To say that I was shocked that he knew it was me was putting it lightly. It also made me nervous that someone else must've figure it out before my dinner with Stark. "Why have you brought me here?" I asked, again. Did he think we were going to form some sort of truce against the Avengers? Surely, he couldn't be so foolish to think that we would be able to bring them down. I had no intentions of angering them any further, especially after knowing that my identity might've been blown much earlier than I expected.

"It seems that you have caught their attention. You and I are both being pursued by them. It would be advantageous for us to work together."

I wanted to help him, but not like this. "Why do you want them dead?"

He chuckled. "Whether they live or die hardly matter to me. They are merely in the way of my goal."

"To rule the planet?" I raised my eyebrow at him.

"To be king. This planet… It's people… They were made to be ruled."

"And you think you're the right person for it?"

He clenched his jaws before his face screwed into a scowl. "It is my birth right! I was born to be king!"

I swallowed hard. There was that mad man, again. I shouldn't have left myself in such a vulnerable position. "Loki, calm down," I told him, trying to weave my words through his mind as I backed away. "Tell me what happened."

He scoffed. "Your words hold no effect on me. Your magic is weak." I tried not to take offense. "You will not understand. A mortal like you would never understand how many years I had to suffer in the shadows of another."

"Loki, perhaps I understand more than you think – what it means to live in darkness and to suffer." I took a deep breath and reached over to him. "I've been there for a long, long time. There had been no one but me."

I watched as he stared at me, trying to figure out if I was lying. Once he found what he wanted, it looked as if the weight of the entire world was on his shoulders. "I don't know what to do. I can't stop it, anymore." His broken voice was familiar. "They're coming soon and when they do, this planet will fall."

"It doesn't have to be like this. There are still options. They haven't arrived, yet. We'll figure something out together." If not for him and the planet, then for me. After losing everything, I've spent too long building this life to let it all go to waste. I refused to let anything take it away, again.

He collapsed on to the bed with his face in his hands. "I'm sorry, Selene."

Seeing that the madness had receded once more, I crawled over to him and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. I still had so many questions for him. Who or what was coming? Where did his delusions of grandeur come from? There had to be a catalyst. "It's going to be alright, Loki."

I pressed my forehead against his back. The refreshing foreign sent hit me, again.

His body shook, but no tears were shed. He turned and pulled me into his arms. "Stay."

Like a fool, I did.

We settled on to the silken sheets, wrapped in each other's comfort. I needed answers, but not today.

When I woke up the next morning, his peaceful face greeted me. No frowns or worries marred his handsome face. His soft breathing played with a lock of hair that had fallen from its slicked back position.

I reached over and brushed it out of the way. He grumbled and pulled my wrist away, but didn't let go as he continued to sleep. It wasn't until I started laughing did one eye peek open to look curiously at me as if I had lost my mind. I wouldn't have put it past it at this point.

"What are you doing?" His voice was gravelly from sleep.

I smirked at him. "You know, you're quite cute when you're asleep." The hooded eyes turned into a scowl. I knew it would irk him, so I thought I'd prod him just a little more. "With a face like that, it's a wonder why you haven't properly settled on a throne. You're just too cute – "

His hand let go of my wrist and wrapped around my throat, halting me from my words. Surprise was clearly shown on my face as he brought me closer. "I'll have you know that a weak, little human like you shall never know what it takes to be a ruler."

My eyes wandered to his lips and I couldn't be sure whether it was I who initiated it or if he had – perhaps both of us went for it at the same time. For in a split second, our lips were meshed together. The hand on my throat squeezed just a little tighter before he loosened his grip completely in favour of entangling them in my morning, knotted hair.

His eyes darkened as I let out a cry of pain when I felt several strands of hair pulled off from my scalp. "Loki…"

"I want you to scream for me," he hissed. His other hand tore the pants I had slept with and quickly disposed of the panties so quickly that I wondered briefly whether I had worn any before being taken. "Scream for me, Selene." His clothes had disappeared during the process and in one quick thrust, he was buried deep inside me.

The cry from my lips satisfied him as he didn't wait for me to adjust to his size. I clenched my eyes shut, relaxing myself and slowly feeling the pain make way for pleasure. "Loki!"

"That's it," he groaned. He pulled one of my legs over his hip and drove in deeper. The tip of his member pounded against my cervix.

I felt my walls squeezing him tightly as he continued to pound into me. Over and over and over until the pleasure became too much. I tried to hold it back as long as I could, but the pool below my stomach burst and I screamed his name.

He sucked in a breath and closing his eyes, allowing me to squeeze his member while I rode out the rest of my climax. He waited long enough for me to catch my breath before continuing his pace.

"Loki! Loki! Loki!" Just like that, I was nearing my second climax.

He growled before throwing his head back and spilling into me.

I cried out with him, milking his cock until he collapsed with me atop of him. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, savouring in the sensation.

I nuzzled my head against his chest, basking in the afterglow. That was the most intense, most explosive sex I had ever had.

"Go back to sleep." His fingers were now gently running through my hair, lulling me into a dreamless slumber.

Just like that, I spent the next few days with him. We never seemed to do anything productive, but sometimes, I'd wake up to see him sitting by the window and staring at the moon. I never interrupted his moments alone.

During the day, I'd try to reassure him that I wasn't going to go anywhere. Eventually, he believed me enough to allow me to call Jasper. That man didn't sound worry at all. Sometimes, I wondered why I kept him around.

What I also managed to do was get a few small questions answered. The first was Hawkeye. The poor man was under the control of Loki's sceptre. I really couldn't help but be impressed that he had managed to snag such a powerful ally – willingly or not. I was also comforted by the fact that perhaps the Avengers hadn't figured out it was me who had taken Stark out of commission. The second question was Loki's origin. When he introduced himself as Loki of Asgard. He literally meant that he was from Asgard – not some Scandinavian town, but the mythical location where Gods lived. The aspect of it had baffled me. Growing up, I never believed in God after he let me down again and again, but if Loki was a God… Then really, I wasn't surprised that nothing was done. It wasn't that I didn't think he could be a good ruler or a benevolent God – alright, the thought was there – but there seemed to be so much drama that they had to deal with themselves. What time did they have to deal with us, weak humans?

Looking at him, I wasn't too surprised that he was from a different realm. There was this otherworldly aura about him. It drew me in and threatened to burn me out. I knew it was safer to back away now, but I couldn't. I was caught.

"They will be coming tomorrow," he told me, one day. His arms were wrapped tightly around my waist as he pressed himself against my back. "You must stay away. I may have warned them about you, but I cannot guarantee that they will discriminate in their destruction."

His concern touched me, but it was unnecessary. "I can take care of myself," I said. "You know I can."

"Don't underestimate them," he hissed. "You don't know what they are capable of."

I twisted around to look at him. "Loki… IF they are how you say they are, this won't end how you think it will. You can't control them!"

"I _can_ ," he growled. His grip becoming painful and I tried to wiggle away, but he hung on tight. "I shall be king!"

 _I did it for you!_

My breath hitched in my throat. I allowed him to vent before holding his face and placing a chaste kiss on his lips. He immediately quieted down and seemed to visibly relax.

From there, he threw all thoughts aside and proceeded to tear the nightgown that he had retrieved for me. The thin material was no match for his lust. Each night was a bad night for my clothes.

His mouth attacked any bare skin that he could reach as I tried desperately to rid him of his own ridiculous outfit. The fabric was surely made of sturdier stuff than anything I've ever seen.

"Loki…" I whined when the tough material refused to give.

He chuckled and took pity on me. With a simple wave of his hand, he was fully nude in front of me.

His pale skin nearly glistened under the moonlight. Every muscle on his body was smoothly defined and toned. He was built like a Greek statue. I'd never tire of looking at him.

He clutched my butt cheeks and growled in my ear before threatening all the things he'd do to me.

"Promises. Promises," I purred back, nipping his bottom lip and savouring his grown. My breath was suddenly taken away as the long finger slid in. I arched my back and let out a low moan. "Stop teasing, Loki of Asgard."

His chuckle vibrated the sensitive spot at the hollows of my neck. "Patience." His thumb began to rub the bundle of nerves that caused another scream to escape my lips. Seeing how close I was, he took his hand away and revelled in the state he had put me in.

Bastard…

"You will not come until I allow you," he commanded, stroking himself and spreading the precum around the head. Instead of thrusting in like I expected – like I needed – he continued to tease me. His thick member rubbing against my slit until I was almost reduced to tears. "Beg," he hissed, slipping a nipple into his mouth and began to suck. His teeth scraped the sensitive flesh.

"I hate you," I gasped.

 _Whack!_

I nearly came when his hand came down to spank my inner thigh.

 _Whack!_

"Beg for it," he growled, grinding his pelvis against mine, but never once allowing me to touch him back.

In a fit of frustration, I slid my hand down between the two for us and only managed to graze the painfully engorged nub before he had both of my wrist sin one hand. With a sneer on his face, he conjured a silk scarf and bound them to the headboard. "What do you think you're doing!?" I snarled at him, twisting and turning to get myself free.

He smirked at my futile attempts. "Didn't I tell you that you will only come when I allow it? How quickly you've forgotten." With that, he subjected me to hours of sweet torture. He pushed and pushed, but kept me from plunging over the edge. My mind was completely blank, feeling and processing nothing but what he was doing to my body.

"S-stop!" My muscles were so tense that I could barely move. "Please, Loki." I even tied to use my words on him, knowing that they were useless. "Loki! Please, fuck me. Make me cum!"

He bared his teeth at me as triumph filled his face. "Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" With that, he thrust in deep with one smooth motion.

All the pressure and heat exploded as I finally found release. My body clenched tightly around him, squeezing and begging him to join me, but he held still until I came down from my high. My eyes fluttered back to focus and I pulled him into a heated kiss.

"You're a little minx, aren't you, darling?" He shifted his hip before pulling out until only the head was still inside.

I buckled my hip at him, but he held me down and a wicked grin spread across his face. In one quick thrust, he was buried to the hilt. "Is this what you want?"

I could hear how this was affecting him and grinned back. I clenched my muscles around him, again, and he took in a sharp breath.

"Naughty minx!" He draped my legs over his shoulder and started his relentless rhythm.

"Loki… Loki… Loki…" I arched my back, chanting his name. With one hand, I pulled him into another kiss. "Loki!"

For a moment, there was nothing but bliss on his face before we both climaxed together. He rolled us over to settle me on his chest. "Selene…" His sinful hand ran through my hair. "Know that what I've done…"

I never managed to catch the rest as sleep pulled me into its sleet embrace.

…

 _I looked up to see curious hazel eyes staring back down at me. "You fell from the sky." He plainly stated as if it was a normal occurrence._

 _"I feel like I've just fallen from the sky," I groaned back. Every inch of my body ached. Shakily, I got to my feet and looked around._

 _The sky looked familiar as if it had been in a vivid dream I had long, long ago._

 _As the man led me to his home, he introduced himself as Jasper. That man was a mystery. His house was a wreck and the location he resided in left much to be desired, but he was content. I knew there were some things that he was dealing with. Not once, however, did he ask for help. Instead, he helped my slowly ease into his world of absolute boredom. No, that sounded ungrateful. I was happy to finally be free, but I missed him – the man who wished up on a moon. I wanted to find him._

 _I worked hard to acclimate myself to my surroundings and the more I became used to this new time and world, the more I learned about myself._

 _It had been pure accidental. Jasper was being particularly difficult, so in frustration, I somehow managed to… force him to see my way. Needless to say, he was quite upset about it and wouldn't speak to me until I convinced him that what transpired had not been intentional._

 _From then on, we started a business. It was something unconventional, but took off like a bullet. Jasper took contracts for me. With my ability to lure them away, it became a simple task of just finding them. With the money, we reinvested in other business ventures and just like that, we were able to move up in the world._

 _I made a name for myself under multiple aliases. It led me to a comfortable life where I was able to do what I wanted, but not once did I Forget about him. He plagued my dreams and followed me everywhere I went._

 _After being trapped on that planet, I knew he had to be the reason why I was sent back here. He had to be the reason. He just_ _had_ _to be…_

…

Morning came too quickly. I didn't need to open my eyes to know that he was gone. Some people just didn't know how to help themselves and I was determined to get him out of this mess that he had gotten himself into.

"Jasper, get me a helicopter to central New York."

"Of course, Miss Salazar." Loki didn't been here long. He didn't understand that almost everything could be tracked. His trust in me warranted my loyalty, so I kept Jasper away until I knew he would be needed. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that Loki would continue on with his foolish plans in some poor attempt to gain his father's approval.

 _I did it for you! For all of us!_

I closed my eyes as the picture of my own broken body suddenly came to the forefront of my mind. That was the last thing I wanted for Loki.

Jasper arrived promptly in a helicopter and flew us towards a raging cloud.

I fiddled with my phone, trying to prepare for the worst. I wished that I had taken a photo of him before he left. Who knew what would become the two of us after this? I looked at the sudden vibration.

 _Coming Princess?_

I stared at it for several minutes before replying. _You owe me_.

 _;P_

Leave it to him to send such a lighthearted reply at a time like this.

I sighed and got my weapon ready.

"Please be careful, Miss."

I turned to smirk at him. "You won't be able to get rid of me that easily."

It was absolute chaos when I got close enough to gauge the true destruction these "Chitauri" had brought to this city. Tall skyscrapers were reduced to rubble. The screams of civilians could be heard from every direction. By the time the Chitauri were done with this place, I doubt there would be anything left for Loki to rule.

Setting the sniper rifle on to the ledge of one of the remaining buildings, I looked into the scope and quickly shot one down. Its body slipped off the vehicle, which plummeted atop of its corpse. I shifted the gun to another and another and another. Each bullet hit its target, but there were far too many of them.

I searched for the Avengers who were sure to be there. Whatever happened during the time that I spent with Loki, Hawkeye looked to be playing for the other team, again. His eyes were no longer the startling blue that I had come to know.

Fighting by him was the Black Widow. It was interesting how well the two worked together despite coming off as loners. I almost envied their relationship.

Suddenly, I jerked back just in time to dodge an attack that turned the ledge to debris.

In annoyance, I took out my pistol and lodged two bullets into its skull. The thing released a terrible shriek before dying.

This went on for hours, but it was as if we weren't making any headway at all. The portal in the sky was still pumping out those creatures left and right.

I looked over to the Stark Tower. That was probably where he was – the tallest, flashiest, most-powered building in New York. I Jumped down the roof and began to make my way there.

 _Still alive, Princess?_

I ignored the message on my phone.

Getting up the Stark Tower proved to be a challenge. The entire building was in lockdown. I'd have to make do with leaving holes in his precious wall, but then again, a dead man wouldn't care about something so petty. The thought still left a grin on my face.

Once I was on the platform with the obnoxious Stark name, I immediately spotted him with Thor. His brother was everything you'd expect in a Norse God. They looked absolutely nothing alike and I wondered what their family looked like to produce such polar opposites.

"Loki!" I shouted just as he impaled Thor with a sharp dagger.

He looked up and gave me a startled, anguished look. "You shouldn't be here!"

"Neither should you!" I argued. "This isn't what you wanted, is it? Let them do their thing and we'll leave here! The two of us could easily disappear from their radar!" No one said I was going to be a hero. I came here for one thing and one thing only.

The tears in his eyes glistened with renewed sadness. "I'd love that, Selene." His gaze slid to the side and I realised too late what was happening.

I was suddenly flying off the side of the building. The impact made my vision see blinding white. It slowly blurred back into focus, but I was unable to stay awake for long before everything faded to black.

…

Loki felt his heart drop with her. "No!" he roared, peeking over the edge to see her broken body lying motionlessly amongst the rubble. "You were not to harm her!" He thrust his hand out and shot the Chitauri down.

"Brother, stop this madness!" Thor pleaded him. "Don't you see that this is causing yourself pain? Come back with me to Asgard." His large hands pressed against the wound that was slowly coating his armour in blood. "Perhaps we can find healers to help your lady friend yet."

Loki turned to him with a snarl, his grieving heart made it impossible for him to filter his words. "Return to Asgard? So that I can be put in a cage, displayed like the animal I am? Don't you see? I'm a _MONSTER_! I am what frightens children at night!" His vision blurred with tears, but he refused to let them fall.

"You can return home and take the throne like Odin had always promised you! His promises to me? _LIES!_ They were all _lies!_ " With another thrust of his hand, he sent the man he always thought as brother over the edge to join the rest of his shattered heart.

Disgusting… He was disgusting… He was everything he hated and more, but there was no going back, now. He no longer had anything left to lose.

…

When I woke up, I was back in my room. The curtains were drawn and the darkness beckoned me to join them once again, but my mind went to him. I didn't know what became of New York or who won. Neither of that mattered as long as Loki was still alive. I didn't care where he was or who had him. As long as he was reachable, I was going to find him.

Painfully getting to my feet, I slowly shuffled out of the room.

Jasper was in the kitchen. The smell of his cooking made my stomach growl. He didn't bother to acknowledge me until the table was set and the excess amount of food was neatly placed at the centre.

"Good to see you awake, Miss."

I eased into the chair with much difficulty and sighed. Every part of me was in pain. It felt as if I had fallen off a tall building – exactly that feeling, in fact. "What happened to the battle?"

He ladled a good amount of soul into the bowl in front of me. "As expected. The Avengers won, but if you were wondering where your wayward Norse God has gone, then I cannot answer that. The most likely outcome would be that he's been taken back to his realm to be judged."

His realm… Asgard…

 _You didn't answer me text. I hope you're still alive because I have a job for you, Princess. Five million dollars up front._

I stared at the screen of my phone until it faded to black. "Get the transport ready," I told him. "New contract. I want this done, now." Despite my body screaming for rest, there was no time for that.

It wasn't every day that I'd catch Jasper off guard. If I wasn't' so determined, I would've taken the time to revel in it. As it were, we had a contract to finish and this one could mean everything.

The ride there was plagued with all the different outcomes that this could go terribly wrong, but I had to try.

When I arrived, I strolled in through the front door. "I'm here to see Monsieur LaChance." The receptionist gave me one look and raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow.

"You do not have an appointment. Please, book one and we can have that arranged," she sneered.

I narrowed me eyes at her.

" _Cameras disabled, Miss_ ," came from the earpiece hidden behind my hair.

"I'll make the appointment, now." I raised my pistol to her head and fired.

I wasn't a good person and I never claimed to be. Innocent lives didn't matter if they got in my way. Maybe that's why I empathised with him so well.

The guards, sensing something was wrong, raced past me to check if she was alright. She was not, but I was already in the elevator before they could realise what happened.

" _He's currently on the seventh floor – meeting room_."

I walked out and strolled down the hall. The clacking of my shoes echoed in my head and helped me focus on the task at hand.

With a quick shove, the door was wide open and I had a dozen pairs of eyes on me. "Hello, everyone. I apologise for the disturbance."

 **"Code Red. Please, evacuate the building."** Everyone looked at the intercom before a flurry of panicked confusion commenced all at once. The twelve people all stood up to leave without knowing their predicament.

"I think there're some misunderstandings," I told them. "But I don't recall giving anyone permission to leave." As I revealed my gun, they finally understand that I wasn't just some consultant. "I'm really only here to Monsieur LaChance, but unfortunately, all of you are at the wrong place, at the wrong time."

One by one, the bodies fell. Splatters of blood stretched across the walls and the smooth mahogany table. Dark patches bloomed on the carpet beneath the motionless bodies. All that was left now was a trembling fool of a man who thought he had won.

"W-who hired you?" he stuttered. "I can pay you double – triple!" His hand was rapidly pressing a button at the underside of the table, completely unaware that his men were currently incapacitate. "Please, don't kill me!"

I smiled at him, slowly walking towards his trembling form. His body reeked of sweat and urine. "I'm sure a man of your stature would have quite a few enemies, but I don't think you'd ever expect to see the hitman that you've hired come back to haunt you." His surprised expression was cut off by the butt of my gun. He slumped unceremoniously in his chair.

"Take him to the van. We will depart immediately," I spoke into my phone. "And clean up this mess. I want this to end in a cold case."

The car was only half way there when LaChance woke up. On one hand, I was delighted to see him think the worst was going to finally come to him. On the other hand, his very presence irritated me. It was a relief when we arrived at a familiar building.

We skipped the front door and entered from the parking lot where no one who see the struggling man being carried.

"Which floor, miss?" came the voice of a polite male when we entered the elevator.

I looked at the camera staring back at me. "I am here to deliver a package. I believe someone will be ecstatic to know that Monsieur LaChance is here."

There was a moment of silence before the AI came back on. "Of course, miss."

The elevator smoothly ascended each floor until it went beyond the numbers available on the panel.

"Have a nice day," the voice came again as the door opened.

LaChance was thrown into the spacious room. The woman screamed when LaChance landed in front of her feet. The wiggling man looked up at her, begging her with his beady eyes.

"Delivery," I dryly told them.

Pepper Potts turned her frightened eye to me, looking at if she was about to call security, but the very-much-alive Stark grinned. "Can't say that I agree with your methods, but you _are_ quick, Princess." He crouched down by LaChance's body. "When I said I wanted him alive, I kind of meant no one else was supposed to die either." He sighed. "Then again, I used to sell weapons to terrorists. Just… Don't do that again." With the light chastise, he turned to me with a more serious expression on his face. "So? Why didn't you just kill me?"

"I didn't think you wanted to die that badly," I retorted.

"And I didn't think what I wanted means much to you."

"It doesn't." I pursed my lips. "I kept you alive because... I need this planet the way it is. People like you are the ones who keep it that way."

"Aww… So you think I can save the world for you," he cooed.

I narrowed my eyes and began to regret sparing him.

"Well, anyway…" He reached in his pocket to pull out his phone. "The five million I promised you – "

"Keep it. I want something a little different," I interrupted him.

He frowned, but I continued before he could say anything. "I want a way to teleport to a specific place." His eyebrows immediately flew up. "You know I can make you do it, but you owe me – not just for the five million, but for your life."

Another minute went by before he grumbled in resignation. "Fine… IT's something I've wanted to do anyway."

I smiled. "Good, because we have some schematics that I think you'll be able to work with."

…

Loki was brought before the king. He glared at the man who had lied to him and fed him all the stories that villainised his very existence.

In the room with them were a few guards, Odin, Frigga, and Thor who was begging his father not to be too harsh with the punishment. He had no doubt that Odin had no intentions to ease his suffering just because he had been his "son." What that old fool didn't realise was that he was already in his own personal Hell. He had to live with the fact that Selene was gone because he wouldn't stop his own selfish desire for revenge – to show Odin that he would've been a wonderful king. Her broken body haunted his every waking moment and wouldn't even leave him alone when he slept.

"Loki, you know fair well what you've done. I'm very disappointed in you." Despite him already rejecting that Odin was his father. He couldn't' suppress the hurt that he felt from those words. "Your actions will have consequences. I believe the perfect punishment for you is to let you have what you desire."

Loki frowned and he knew that he wasn't the only one confused, but his mouth guard prevented him from throwing any snarky remarks.

"Father, what do you mean?" Thor asked for him.

Frigga looked on worriedly, knowing that whatever Odin had planned wouldn't be that simple. She knew her husband well – well enough to fear for her son. Whether he was hers biologically or not, she wished that he knew how much she loved him. Sometimes, she wondered what would have happened if they had just told Loki from the start. Perhaps they could've prevented all of this from occurring.

She turned to Loki who stared scornfully at his father. She wanted to run to him and pull him into a tight hug.

"You shall be king, not on Asgard nor Midgard, but there, you will be its ruler."

Odin never gave any of them a chance to say goodbye. With a stamp of his staff, Loki was gone, leaving both Thor and Frigga to cry out in despair.

Where he had gone was dark. It was as if he had fallen off the Bifrost again, but there was solid ground. He could walk freely. He could think freely. He certainly didn't feel like a king, though. Where had Odin brought him?

He stretched his jaw and noticed that the guard was gone. It was useless if this place was as barren as he suspected.

He walked and walked, but when it got him nowhere, he plopped down and shook his head. She was right. This wasn't what he wanted. This was the furthest of what he wanted. Even if the Chitauri had won, then what? Did he think Thanos would truly give him peace of mind? Did he think that he could happily go on with Selene being…

He tried to keep the tears in with several shaky breaths. It was his fault. It was better that he was in this forsaken prison where he could no longer hurt anyone. Everything he touched died! He never deserved someone like her because they were right. They had always been right. He was a monster.

With a roar of anger and anguish, he felt his powers lose control. The surface became smooth to the touch as a thick layer of ice covered the rocky texture.

"And what have you done to my beautiful place, Loki?"

His breath became caught in his throat. It had to be his head playing tricks on him. There could be no other explanation. But when two arms wrapped around him and her scent overwhelmed his senses, he realised that it didn't matter. This was a hallucination that he'd gladly submit himself to.

He turned and buried his face into her hair and continued to cry. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…" No matter how much he apologised, he knew that nothing would ever make it right again. His moments with her had been so fleeting. He just thought that he would've had more time.

"You're such an idiot," she told him and he gave her a soft, mournful chuckle.

"I know."

"I told you not to do it."

"I know."

She sighed. The puff of air felt delightfully warm against his cheek. "Come on. Let's get out of here. I don't know what you've done to this place, but it's freezing."

He froze. That was an odd thing for a hallucination to say. Instead of fighting with her, he only held her righter.

"Mm… Stop. Wait." There was a beep before his entire world was consumed by light.

He groaned in pain when his red-rimmed eyes began to sting.

"I'll never get used to this," she grumbled.

When their eyes met, he truly believed that this was real. When she touched his face, he realised that he must've lost his Asgardian cover during his outburst. The fascination on her face only told him that this could never be real.

Ironically, she was the one to question him first. "Why are you looking at me like that? Aren't you happy to see me?" The way she raised her eyebrow made him lean down and pull her into a deep kiss.

She moaned, stroking his cheek before breaking away. "You're acting very oddly."

He smiled. "I realised that maybe this isn't so bad. Even if you're not real, eventually, I can – "

A frown marred her beautiful features. "What do you mean I'm not real?" she growled at him. "Are you actually Loki? I came here looking for you and I find you… _BLUE_! _I_ should be the one questioning if you're an imposter!" At his confused look, she sighed. "Look up."

He did so and spotted something familiar. "We're… on a moon. One of Asgard's moon…" He threw his head back and laughed. "I used to look up from the window of my room to talk to it. Now…"

She smiled. "And I heard them all, Loki. I was here. I don't' know for how long, but I think time works differently here. I think you were the only one to keep me sane while I was here and I think I was also allowed to get out because of you." She held up her wrist where a small device laid. "With this, we can get on and off this place. We can also shift from the dark side – where you were – to here. Stark had really outdone himself this time."

He frowned. " _He_ was helping you?"

"Come on. Let's get out and we'll talk later." She smirked at him. "Odin really was predictable imprisoning you here."

Wordlessly, he held her tightly against him as she fiddled with the device and transported them, once more.

…

I stumbled when I landed. Loki quickly moved to steady me in his arms.

"Glad you haven't disintegrated into nothing." Tony Stark grinned at me. "I was pretty worried there."

I huffed. "You said it was safe!"

"Hey, you're still in one piece, aren't you?"

I turned to Loki for some support, but found him dumbfounded. His blue skin had gone back to his normal, pale peach.

"You're real," he whispered.

My eyes softened. "Of course, I am. What finally clued you in?"

"I would never dream up Stark unless I wanted to torture myself further."

Tony snorted. "I really hope I'm not in your dreams," he said before turning to me. "Why don't you and Reindeer Games go to… wherever you guys go. I'm going to pretend none of this ever happened and my debt to you is paid."

…

He growled, tugging at my hair. " _KNEEL!_ "

I groaned as he forced me to my knees.

He smirked, his eyes dark with lust. "You're mine, Selene."

* * *

 _AUTHOR'S NOTE_

Whew! Writing that was a frightful process where I fervently obsessed over it until it was done! Then, I had to painstakingly type up everything because I just can't handle writing stories on the computer anymore.

When I first thought of writing this one-shot, it was intended to be roughly 3k-5k, but somehow, it exploded to 13,091 words and 30 pages in length. I had contemplated splitting it up within chapters several times, but I said it was going to be a one-shot and a one-shot it shall be! This has been quite an adventure for me and I hope it was for you, too. Since this really only encompasses the first Avengers movie, I'm not entirely opposed to making a sequel if you guys would like that. Just let me know and I'll see what I can come up with.

Please leave a review if you liked this story and would like to see more of these one-shots or more of Loki in the future!


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